Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Oct. 14

Concerts, parties, support groups and more through Oct. 20

Published

15 years ago

October 13, 2011

The Martin Luther King Memorial dedication has been rescheduled for this weekend after being derailed by Hurricane Irene. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

TODAY (Friday)

The Latino GLBT History Project is hosting the sixth annual LGBT Heritage Reception tonight at the Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception, to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBT History Month, will feature a bilingual historical exhibition on Latino LGBT activism in D.C. over the last 30 years. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton speak. There is a suggested donation of $5.

NSO Pops present “Some Enchanted Evening: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein” tonight at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). The program includes songs like “Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “Shall We Dance?” and more. Tickets range from $20 to $85 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits, “Recent Paintings: Scapes,” featuring expressionistic paintings by Steve Alderton and “Clouded Leopard Labyrinth” which is a mixed media installation by Leslie Johnston, that will be on display through Oct. 30. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents “Booytlicious” a drag king show featuring Butch Kelly, Papa Woody, Busta Hymein, Ben N. Cider and Seymour Snatch. Lady DJ Beloved will be spinning. There is a $3 cover before 11 p.m. and $5 after.

Lesbian singer/songwriter Jeanne Mackey will be performing “Drop the Knight: A Memoir-in-Song” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Ave.). There is a suggested donation of $10 to $15.

Saturday, Oct. 15

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers will be working with the Neighborhood Farm Initiative today from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers will be weeding, planting and digging at a site near the Fort Totten Metro. Directions to the lot and more information can be found online at burgundycrescent.org.

Busboys & Poets is having its monthly youth open mic tonight at 5 p.m. in the Cullen room at its 5th and K streets location (1025 5th St., N.W.). The event will be co-hosted by Jonathan Tucket, a D.C. Youth Slam Team coach and Nichita Mason, a high school senior from Washington Math Science Technology High School. All people under 20 are encouraged to share their work. For more informaiton, e-mail [email protected].

Mixtape D.C. is tonight the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2:15 a.m. Mixtape is a dance party for queer music lovers and their pals that features DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer playing an eclectic mix of electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and anything else danceable. There is a $10 cover for this all ages event.

Green Lantern is hosting a black-and-white underwear party tonight from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring WET lube wrestling and a best booty contest. DJ Ace D.C. will be providing music.

Comedian Paula Poundstone will be performing at the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria, tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

Sunday, Oct. 16

Zoom Urban Lesbian Excursions is taking a trip to the 31st annual Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard (22200 Davis Mill Rd.) in Germantown today at 1 p.m. Entrance to the festival is $10 and includes various attractions. RSVP online at phatgirlchic.com/zoom as the fee will be collected at the festival.

The D.C. Ice Breakers, Burgundy Crescent Volunteers and The Gay District are having their first ever “Men’s Singles Party with Board Games” night at 4141 N. Henderson Rd., in Arlington from 6 to 9 p.m. This is a BYO party and no RSVP is required.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial dedication has been rescheduled for today starting at 8 a.m. The ceremonial dedication will happen at 11 a.m. and President Barack Obama will deliver the dedication address. Some of the other program participants include D.C. mayor, Vincent Gray, Jennifer Holliday and Aretha Franklin.

Monday, Oct. 17

The Youth Working Group, a gathering of people who are committed to impacting the lives of D.C. area youth, will be meeting tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) at 6 p.m. Capital Area AIDS Prevention Effort is also having its monthly meeting at the Center from 7 to 9 p.m.

WEAVE, a support group for LGBT survivors of intimate partner violence/abuse will be meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Lighthouse Center for Healing (5321 First Place, N.E.). For more information and to register, call 202-280-6391.

Gayyim D.C., a social group for Jewish GBT men, is organizing a group to see the film, “Mary Lou” at the Israeli Embassy tonight at 7:30 p.m. To RSVP, contact [email protected].

Tuesday, Oct.18

The Leukemia and Lymphona Society’s Team in Training is having a fundraiser at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight 5 p.m. Team in Training is a program that trains people to complete endurance events while raising money to fund blood cancer research and provide patient services for those battling the disease.

Cameron Mackintosh presents a new 25th anniversary production of “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $155 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

The D.C. Ice Breakers will be having its monthly skate and social tonight. The group will be skating at Kettler Capitals Iceplex (627 N. Glebe Rd.) in Arlington from 8:15 to 9:15 p.m. then they’ll hit a local bar for a social hour. Skating is $8 and skate rentals are $3.

Busboys & Poets presents “Who does Kalup Linzy this he is?,” at its 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Linzy is a gender-bending performance artist whose low-fi productions feature self-styled heroines with references to soap operas, pop-music and tragic fame. This performance is in conjunction with the exhibit, “30 Americans” at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

The D.C. Log Cabin Republicans have their October general meeting tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Camden Roosevelt (2101 16th St., N.W.). This month will feature special guest, Don Blanchon, Executive Director of Whitman-Walker Health as he discusses the state of Whitman-Walker Health and the latest information about the AIDS Walk. For more information, visit dclogcabin.org.

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets at 7:30 p.m, at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) across from Marine Barracks, for social bridge. No partner is needed. For more informaiton, visit lambdabridge.com and click on “Social Bridge in Washington.”

Thursday, Oct. 20

The D.C. Lambda Squares are having their club night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.). This week will be plus with class-level mainstream. For more information, visit dclambdasquares.org.

Country music star LeAnn Rimes will be giving a special acoustic show at Riot Act Comedy Theater (801 E St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. to benefit her charity, “StandUp for Kids” which helps homeless and underprivileged youth. Tickets range from $20 to $50 and can be purchased online at riotactcomedy.com.

Photos

PHOTOS: World Pride March

LGBTQ rights demonstration held in Amsterdam

Published

1 day ago

August 9, 2026

Michael Key

A scene from the 2026 World Pride March in Amsterdam. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2026 World Pride March was held on Saturday, Aug. 8 in Amsterdam. Tens of thousands of participants marched from Martin Luther Kingpark to the grounds of the Pride Village at Museumplein.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Photos

PHOTOS: Daddy Issues at Kiki

Evry Pleasure, Tiara Missou-Sidora, Indiana Bones perform

Published

2 days ago

August 8, 2026

Landon Shackelford

Evry Pleasure performs at the 'Daddy Issues' drag show at Kiki on Wednesday. (Washington Blade photo by Landon Shackelford)

The weekly drag show “Daddy Issues” was held at Kiki on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Performers included Evry Pleasure, Indiana Bones and Tiara Missou-Sidora.

(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)

Books

Something’s off about Dad. When is it time to step in?

‘When Memory Fades’ can help when families face dementia

Published

2 days ago

August 8, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of St. Martin's Essentials)

‘When Memory Fades’
By Nathaniel Chin, MD
c.2026, St. Martin’s Essentials
$30/422 pages

Mom called you in a panic the other day.

She’d lost her keys and by the time you arrived to help, she’d found them. In the refrigerator.

These kinds of things keep happening, not often but often enough, and you don’t know quite what to worry about. But in the new book “When Memory Fades” by Nathaniel Chin, MD, you’ll learn about the journey ahead, for both of you.

You can’t remember why you walked into a room. You got lost last week, going to the bank. Popular wisdom says that things like that are normal as we age, but Chin says that’s not true – although the answer may not be a worst-case scenario, either. Yes, memory problems could just be signs of stress, dehydration, or lack of sleep – or is it time to see a doctor?

Chin says maybe, yes.

He was working his way through medical residency when his father, a geriatrician in Madison, Wisc., was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Chin, now a geriatrician, was blindsided, but that diagnosis also changed his life.

Here, he writes about the brain, and how Alzheimer’s and dementia are diagnosed, explaining that dementia has many faces and, depending on a doctor’s evaluation, memory problems might be slowed or improved. He shares his father’s illness with readers, but he also writes about his mother, a steadfast, steady caretaker.

Her story reminds reader-guardians to care for themselves, too.

Know how to talk the talk, so that you can have “a more productive” conversation with your doctor. Understand that there’s nothing “normal” about dementia or Alzheimer’s. Know the statistics – African Americans are affected with dementia twice as much as whites – and know how to lower your risks. Learn here what questions to ask, how to break the news to everyone, and any legal matters that will be important soon. And know how to tend to you.

Says Chin, “The best action you can take is to educate yourself… The more you understand, the better equipped you are to make sound judgments.”

Something’s off about Dad, just a lot of little things that don’t add up. When is it time to step in? “When Memory Fades” can help you decide.

Wise, wide-spread, comprehensive, and compassionately helpful, this is a book you can read and then take it to the doctor with your loved one. It’s a book that makes sense when nothing else does, and its biggest feature is that it smoothly transitions from easy-to-grasp science and charts, to gentle coaching for caregivers. Author Nathaniel Chin, MD writes with storytelling, humility, grace, and experience from both sides of the Alzheimer’s/dementia issue, and his words are reassuring but also urgent. Learn, but don’t wait, he says. Know how to safeguard yourself. See your doctor, and don’t fear testing. Watch for signs of depression. And never, ever stop asking for help.

Read those last seven words, and find “When Memory Fades” now. It’s a book to have on your shelf, whether you’re 45 or 95 because, as you’ll see, dementia happens and knowledge is key.